Israel has established diplomatic ties with Bhutan. The development comes 2 days after Israel and Morocco agreed to normalize ties in a deal brokered with assistance from the USA.
Highlights:
♦ In the past four months, Morocco became the fourth Arab country after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain (Abraham Accords) and Sudan to engage in hostilities with Israel.
♦ Israel has been supporting Bhutan’s human resource development since 1982, especially in the field of agricultural development, benefiting hundreds of Bhutanese youth.
♦ Despite the lack of formal contact between the two countries, the two countries still maintain a cordial relationship.
♦ Israel briefly had a non-resident ambassador to Bhutan in 2010.
♦ The Israel International Development Cooperation Agency (MASHAV) has trained hundreds of Bhutanese youths since 2013.
♦ The two countries have established formal diplomatic relations and agreed to cooperate closely in various sectors.
♦ The two sides will not establish embassies in Thimphu and Tel Aviv, and will coordinate through their missions in Delhi.
Significance:
♦ The establishment of diplomatic relations will open up new channels for cooperation between the two countries in water management, technology, human resource development, agricultural science and other mutually beneficial fields.
♦ Regarding tourism, Bhutan, which limits the number of people entering Bhutan, may now be more open to Israelis.
♦ Through cultural exchanges and tourism, the ties between the two peoples will also be further strengthened.
